September 20, 2017

IMPACT by Joylene M Bailey




I was 23 and seven months pregnant with my firstborn when God or His angels stepped in between the car I was in and the one heading straight for me.

I can still see the grill of that vehicle racing through a red light, aimed right at the passenger door where I was sitting. Time seemed to slow down as I closed my eyes and braced for the impact.

Instead, I heard WHOOOOSH and felt an intense gust of wind blow against my door. I opened my eyes to see that by some strange occurrence we were on the other side of the intersection. I twisted in my seat, as much as my pregnant belly would allow, to look for the car that had almost hit us. It was nowhere to be seen. The whole event had happened in the blink of an eye.

My husband hadn’t heard the whoosh, hadn’t felt the gust of wind. He had swerved but not enough to evade a collision. It was as though we had skipped ahead in time and that the event I KNOW happened, had not occurred at all. The memory is so vivid to me. Even after all these years I can’t explain it, but I know without a doubt that God intervened that day.

I believe it was because He still had plans for me, for the baby I carried, and for two more yet to be born. He intended for me to raise three strong, independent girls to women who would impact their world and the Kingdom. He intended for them to raise children of their own, to impact the Kingdom and their future world. This is no small thing.

There have been countless times in my life when God’s strategic providences were evident. Not all of them have been as time-warping as this one. But each event has added a brick to my wall of faith, making it stronger every time, so that when life takes a dive into the muck I can trust that He sees the Big Picture from His vantage point. And I can keep slogging it out in the sludge below, knowing He will help me through in His own timing.

He can be trusted.



He can be trusted with my writing too.

On those days when I wonder why in the world I think I’m a writer (which, to be honest, is most days), I can trust that there must be some reason He gave me this passion. He must need my voice for something. So I will write, and trust Him with whatever He wants to do with it.


Maybe, just maybe, God intervened that day so that I would be around to write this post. To give Him glory for the unimaginable yet very real impact He has on all of us who are privileged to call Him Father.


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Joylene writes from her home in Edmonton where she lives with her Cowboy, her third strong, independent daughter, and a cat named Calvin. She writes at 





Photos by Pixabay.

18 comments:

  1. Joy, your post reminds me of the behind-the-scenes story of Job, when Satan was petitioning God for permission to impact Job's life, and the life of his wife and children. Some horrors God prevents. Other horrors, he allows. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. We can't know his ways, but no matter the circumstance, blessed be the Name of the Lord!

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    1. So right, Bobbi. We can't know His ways. My grandfather's regular answer to the "why" questions we often asked him was, "God is God". Three simple words with such depth.

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  2. Goosebumps on your 'skipping ahead in time' story. Oh my! Love it. I'm reminded of other people's accounts of similar 'time-warp' events that saved them from drastic results. I'm so glad for the reminder today, it's a joy moment for me.

    I lobbed onto your line: "He must need my voice for something" as I'm often wondering what truly is my place in this writing world.

    Thanks for a beautiful post, Joy!
    Brenda

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    1. Brenda, your place in this writing world is huge. I can't imagine the number of people, known & unknown, you rich with your insights on this beautiful life.
      Thanks for your comment. 😊

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  3. Thanks for sharing this remarkable "God story," Joylene. We do know the God who holds the tomorrow we know nothing about. I believe, however, that God wants you to keep being there for your family and writing stories that lift others up in the faith. May God continue to bless you so that you may bless others.

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    1. Thank you Sharon. Yes, being there for our families even though they've grown and gone ... it is definitely worth living for.

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  4. Amazing story! It's things like this that we must keep bringing to remebrance - to remind us of God's goodness and sovereignty. I'm loving the stories this month. They are so inspiring and faith building. thanks Joy.

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    1. I'm loving the stories this month too, Tracy. More bricks in our walk of faith. 😊

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  5. Events like this definitely make us realize that God is at work and He will accomplish His plan in us and through us. Our family has an accident story too - the semi did hit the 1 ton van carrying 4 of our family members. It did roll. The ambulance attendant asked my daughter how many people died in the collision. The answer: none. There was a broken leg, some broken ribs, and bumps and bruises. So much for which to give thanks!

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    1. Wow!!! Great story, Ruth. God is God and will accomplish His purposes no matter what.

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  6. I really 'felt' your story. God is amazing and you are right that He had so much more planned for you and your family. Yet it can sometimes come down to listening to that still small voice.
    I once came so close to being hit by a speeding driver (maniac was more like it) on the driver's door when I had my two young sons with me that I stopped on the highway and shook. A holy spirit moment had prompted me to check my mirror one more time when I did a left turn even though nobody had been behind me seconds ago (he was going THAT fast). As I checked I was able to swing back and he went around me, screeching on two wheels. He never looked back or came back. Strange thing was in town before we'd left I'd suggested to my youngest son that he sit up in the middle with me and my older son. Something I never did before. I think it was God's way of protecting him in case I hadn't listened to his prompting on the highway...as he would have also been on the drivers side. How much we need to be listening and following those promptings...life or death sometimes.

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    1. YES, listening is so important! Because those promptings do come. I'm so glad you listened to the prompting to have your son sit in the front with you. Thank you for sharing that story, Gloria.

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  7. That was incredible Joy! Love reading your stories.

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    1. Thanks for visiting here, Linda. 😊

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  8. That was incredible Joy! Love reading your stories.

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  9. Wonderful testimony. We too had a big semi coming down the hill after us - icy hill - everyone stopped at the bottom. My husband tried to tuck our van as close to the guardrail as he could. I prayed as I looked out to see the big truck trying to stop. He did!! praise God.
    Blessings as you write,
    Janis

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    1. Praise God, indeed! Thanks for sharing your story, Janis.

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  10. Remarkable and beautiful. God is the God of time and space. I LOVE when He chooses to bend them to protect us.

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